Such panels are generally known. For example, EP 1634696 B1 describes a floor cover element comprising a carrier plate made of a pressure-resistant wood material and a cover layer made of foamed polyvinyl chloride which includes a foamed core arranged between vinyl layers.
The formation of a chamfer on at least two opposite sides of a panel is known from WO 01/96688 A1 for decorative panels comprising a wood material core. Here the chamfer is used to prevent damages to the decorative layer during the installation, if the edges contact each other with pressure when the panels are pivoted. In order to conceal the interruption of the decorative layer, the region of this bevel is printed.
In EP 1512809 A1 it is claimed to provide a moisture-resistant coating on the walls of the recess or bevel. This is in order to prevent the harmful penetration of moisture into the material of the carrier made of wood material. The coating may be formed from a varnish, a paint or a flexible and elastic material and may be applied in such a thickness that in connecting two panels by squeezing the coating the joint is sealed.
German utility model DE 202008011589 U1 discloses a panel made from a pliable and flexible plastic material as a carrier with a decorative layer and with complementary locking means which enable the production of a contiguous surface area. In order to conceal the inevitably different gaps between the individual panels and to improve the aesthetic appeal, a chamfer or bevel is provided on at least one panel edge.
EP 1382774 A1 describes a panel made of a wood material and a decorative layer comprising a decorative paper or veneer. Herein, a chamfer is provided, which is intended to achieve the appearance of a traditional parquet and may be provided with an additional coating of a varnish or an adhesive tape.
In applying the known technique of the bevel to panels comprising a carrier and/or cover layer made of plastic, however, difficulties arise. Particularly if the carrier has a certain degree of flexibility, or if the cover layer is pliable, which is advantageous both during the installation and in use—the coating of the recess can easily be released, because it consists only of a narrow strip and is required to adhere both at the cover layer and at the carrier layer, when the chamfer or recess extends up to it. This danger particularly exists when the coatings of adjacent panels are pressed together during the assembly. Conventional varnishes exhibit insufficient adhesion at plastic surfaces.